Royal Challengers Bengaluru take the field today for their second outing of the IPL season, and the occasion is the always-anticipated southern derby against five-time champions Chennai Super Kings at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB opened their campaign with a convincing win on March 28 over Sunrisers Hyderabad, and heading into Sunday evening’s clash they are viewed as the stronger side. Chennai, meanwhile, have endured a tough start, losing both games they have played so far—against Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings. The Super Kings will also be navigating without MS Dhoni for the early part of the tournament, with the veteran sidelined due to a calf issue, leaving a significant gap in experience and on-field direction.
RCB’s build-up: Jitesh Sharma on mindset, responsibility and the challenge ahead
- Before the match, RCB wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma—who has represented India in 16 T20 Internationals—outlined how the team plans to approach the contest.
- He stressed that Bengaluru are not dwelling on Chennai’s recent results. Instead, the focus is on sticking to their own preparation and process rather than monitoring what has happened “in the last one week”.
- Jitesh also explained that the vice-captaincy role has increased his personal sense of accountability. He said that when leadership comes with responsibility, it brings both privilege and a determination to do more for the team, including finding ways to contribute directly to a win.
- With local interest in Bengaluru running high, there is talk of a potential fourth straight win over CSK. Jitesh, however, insisted that such record talk does not change the team’s thinking—players and the unit remain committed to taking the game in front of them rather than fixating on historical equations.
- He pointed out that while they became aware of a 3-0 situation when arriving at the venue, the squad’s approach remains the same: execute what they have planned, assess strengths and identify opposition weaknesses once the match begins.
- Discussing conditions at the Chinnaswamy, Jitesh noted that there is no single guaranteed target for the day. He suggested that the powerplay can swing the run-flow significantly—one day the innings may accelerate towards totals around 240, while on another it could end up closer to 180-190—meaning it is difficult to predict beforehand.
RCB’s view of the pitch is shaped by what they have already seen this season at the same venue. In the previous match at Chinnaswamy, Sunrisers Hyderabad lost wickets early before building their innings to 201, and Bengaluru then chased the target comfortably in the 16th over. With the surface again expected to offer assistance to batters, the contest promises to hinge on how effectively both teams use the opening overs and manage the middle phase.
